Shoeless Joe and Me by Dan Gutman

Shoeless Joe and Me by Dan Gutman
Parent Child Book Discussion Questions
(Questions by Talia Calig Robbins)
Grades 4-5
September 2008

snack ideas: popcorn and pretzels

1. Thumbs up/down-- general thoughts about the book.

2. What was your favorite part of the book? (or Who was your favorite character?)

3. Do you think Shoeless Joe was guilty or innocent in the 1919 World Series. Why?
(share facts from nonfiction book about Joe Jackson)

4. What would you have done if you could go back in time and talk to Shoeless Joe?

5. Do you think there is a link between the beginning of the book with Stosh being "out" in his baseball game and Shoeless Joe being accused of cheating?

6. Have you ever been unjustly punished like Shoeless Joe?

7. What about the "autographs" from Sheless Joe's trash? Was Stosh right in taking them?

8. What do you think should happen to people that cheat in a sports game? On a test at school?
(could talk about people breaking records using steroids--is that fair?)

9. What if it were you and someone told you they would give you a thousand dollars to throw a soccer game or baseball game? Would you do it for a million dollars?

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Activities:

Guess what it cost back then!
$1 today = 8 cents in 1919 OR $1 in 1919 = $11.89 today
Also remember that not everything was plentiful or easy to get back then... not everyone had cars.

Item Today 1919

dozen eggs $1.42 58 cents
chicken (lb) 1.99 36 cents
postage stamp 42 cents 2 cents
telephone $25 $11.25
magazine $2.99 15 cents
bar of soap 73 cents 7 cents
Ford car $14,395 (Focus) $440
Movie Ticket $7 15 cents
Winter Coat $58 $5.48
Lifesavers 80 cents 5 cents
box Cornflakes $2.99 12 cents
Bike $120 $35.95
Loaf bread $1.50 10 cents
Hershey bar 80 cents 10 cents

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Sports Superstitions and Routines:
What was Shoeless Joe superstitious about? slept with his bat, rubbed her with oil, stared at a flame, etc.

Have kids share what they do for luck.

Other superstitions in sports today:
From Factmoster: http://www.factmonster.com/spot/superstitions1.html